National

Jalandhar diocese not to fund rape-accused bishop’s case

India(Punjab):Bishop Mulakkal was arrested on Sept. 21 for allegedly raping a nun and spent three weeks in jail. He was granted bail on Oct. 16.

Bishop Agnelo Gracias, the Apostolic administrator of Jalandhar diocese on Nov 6 said the diocese will not fund the criminal case that accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar of rape.

Bishop Mulakkal was arrested on Sept. 21 on charges of raping a nun and spent three weeks in jail. He was granted bail on Oct. 16.

Bishop Gracias told the media that they have not received any request from bishop Franco's side or from the nun for fund. The accused bishop’s brother Philip Mulakkal funding the legal proceedings, he said according to Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi.

According to diocesan spokesperson Father Peter Kavumpuram the diocese has only paid the bishop’s airfare to Kerala for the first four times to meet the investigators.

Several diocesan priests have disagreed with Bishop Mulakkal over appointment in diocesan administrative committees and commissions. Bishop Gracias said he will discuss with priests and make changes in appointments, if necessary.

Bishop Gracias said he wanted transparency in dealing with death of diocesan Father Kuriakose Kattuthara, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district on Oct. 22. Father Kattuthara had given statements against Bishop Mulakkal.

Bishop Gracias said that he had insisted that the autopsy should be conducted at a government hospital not at a church hospital so that no suspicion would remain. He also requested that Father Kattuthara's post-mortum procedure to be filmed to make it transparent.